Airplane glider



June 13, 1939. c. FRITZEN 2,161,921

AIRPLANE GLIDER Filed March 31, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AIRPLANE GLIDER Carl Fritzen,

Application March 31,

5 Claims.

This invention relates to airplane gliders of the amusement or toy type, and an object of the invention is to provide a glider comprising an adjustable wing brace for the purpose of regulat- 5 ing the lift resulting from the movement of the glider as it is propelled; the said invention furthermore providing a strong and durable plane with a minimum of reinforcing elements such as strings or other strengthening means for the paper which is used as a covering for the frame structure.

A further object of the invention is to provide adjustable steering means whi ch can be expeditiously manipulated and which will cause the glider tomove in a curved path or relatively straight, according to said adjustment.

It is a still further object of the invention to produce a glider which will be strong and comparatively inexpensive.

With the foregoing and other objects in view,

the invention consists in the d etails of construction, and in the arrangement and combination of parts to be hereinafter more fully set forth and claimed.

In describing the invention i will be had to the accompanyi n detail, reference ng drawing forming part of this application, wherein like characters denote corresponding parts in the several views, and in which- Figure 1 illustrates a top plan view of the airplane glider embodying the invention;

Figure 2 illustrates a longitudinal sectional view;

Figure 3 illustrates a perspective view of details entering into the construction;

Figure 4 illustrates an enlarged detail view of the W g tip;

Figure 5 illustrates a perspective view of the Wing brace or strut;

Figure 6 illustrates a perspective view of the Figure 7 illustrates a perspective view of a fragment of a wing with the parts of the tip thereof detached;

Figure 8 illustrates a plan shown in Fig. 7 assembled;

Figure 9 illustrates a view in view of the parts elevation, partly cured together at their intersec tie 12, preferably of rubber,

tion by a yieldable which will afford Seymour, Ind.

1938, Serial No. 199,237

movement of the wing brace longitudinally of the girder. The front end of the girder has a plate l3 secured to itand preferably the girder has apertures M which will permit the plate to be positioned adjustably relative to the girder. The tips of the wings are produced through the employment of plates, such as l5, each of which is seated in a slot [6 formed in the end of the wing brace. Vertically disposed apertures ll permit the plate to be adjusted in position for the purpose of increasing or diminishing the effective length of the wing brace, and each plate is secured in place by a fastening l8 extending through the apertures of the plate and brace.

Near the rear end of the girder a post I9 is inserted in an aperture of the girder, and the said post has a cap which is preferably slotted, as at 2|, to form a seat for a string 22 whose one end is anchored to the girder through the medium of an elastic element 23, such as a rubber band. The other end of the string is secured to a cross-piece 24 which is adjustable in a slot 25 formed in the end of the girder. The string has paper attached to it, the said paper filling the space between the portions of the string andthis produces a fin 22 standing upright or at an angle to the girder.

The frame, including the cross-piece 24, is covered by paper 26 whose outline is approximately 'as illustrated and, in order to give strength to the structure, the paper is rolled on itself at its edges, such as 21, and secured by adhesive so that a marginal bead is formed, lending strength and durability to the glider. At the angularly disposed portions of the paper, as at 28, reinforcing patches of fabric, such as linen or the like, are secured to the beads.

At the rear end of the paper covering and at each end of the cross-piece 24 the head of the paper has an elastic 29 secured to it by a reinforcing patch 30 and each elastic fits in a slot 3| of the cross-piece, although other flexible members may be provided for attaching the bead of the paper tothe said cross-piece.

In the modification shown in Fig. 7, the wing 39 to receive a curved reed whose ends are thereby anchored to the girder. The space encompassed by the curved reed is covered with paper which is attached thereto in suitable manner to form the fin.

In Figure 10, the wing tip is formed by a plate 40 connected to the paper covering of the plane and the end of the wing brace is slotted as in the other forms and is slidable on the plate. The Wing brace will be held at different positions of adjustment forwardly or rearwarclly or in an intermediate position by the rubber band which embraces the girder and Wing brace at their intersection. The tension of the rubber band can be sufficient to hold the wing brace in its different positions. In this form, pins may not be necessary for the purpose of retaining the wing brace in its different positions.

I claim:

1. In an airplane glider, a girder, a wing brace extending crosswise thereof and secured thereto at the intersection, a plate adjustably secured to the front of the girder, plates adjustably secured to the ends of the wing brace, a cross-piece adjustable in the rear end of the girder, a sheet of paper forming the plane covering the space outlined by the girder, wing brace and cross-piece, the said paper being folded on itself at the edges to form beads, reinforcing strips on the beads, a

fin post in the girder having a cap, a string threaded over the cap, an elastic element connecting one end of the string to the girder, and means for attaching the other end of the string at the end of the girder.

2. In an airplane glider, a girder, a wing brace extending crosswise thereof, yieldable means for securing the wing brace to the girder, a plate secured on the front of the girder, plates secured to the ends of the wing brace, a cross-piece having slots in its ends adjustable to the rear end of the girder, a sheet of paper forming a plane covering the space outlined by the girder, wing brace and cross-piece, the said paper being folded on itself at the edges to form beads, yieldable loops forming extensions of the beads at the rear of the plane and engaging in the slots of the crosspiece, a fin post, a flexible element supported by the post having one endyieldingly connected to the girder and its rear end adjustable longitudinally of the cross-piece, and a sheet of paper having its edge secured to the flexible member and forming a fin for guiding the plane.

3. In an airplane glider, a girder, a wing brace extending crosswise thereof and secured thereto,

said wing brace having slots in its ends, a member extending crosswise of the wing brace at each end and adjustable in the slot thereof, a cross-piece adjustable on the rear end of the girder, a sheet of paper forming a plane covering the space outlined by the girder, wing brace and cross-piece, said paper being folded on itself at the edges to form beads, ties attached to the beads at the tips of the wing and secured to the cross member on the wing brace, the edges of the paper being angular-1y disposed at certain locations, reinforcing fabric secured to the beads of the paper covering at said angularly disposed portions for strengthening the structure, a fin post inthe girder having a cap, a string threaded over the cap, an elastic element connecting one end of the string to the girder, and means for attaching the other end of the string at the end of the girder.

4. In an airplane glider, a girder, a wing brace extending crosswise thereof, yieldable means for securing the wing brace to the girder, a plate secured on the front of the girder, plates secured to the ends of the wing brace, a cross-piece having slots in its ends adjustable to the rear end of the girder, material forming a plane covering the space outlined by the girder, wing brace and cross-piece, the said material being folded on itself at the edges to form beads, yieldable loops,

forming extensions of the beads at the rear of the plane and engaging in the slots of the cross piece, a fin post, a flexible element supported by the post having one end yieldingly connected to the girder and its rear end adjustable longitudinally of the cross-piece, and material having its edge secured to the flexible member and forming a fin for guiding the plane.

5. In an airplane glider, a girder, a wing brace extending crosswise thereof, elastic means embracing the girder and wing brace at their intersection and effective to, hold the wing brace in different positions of adjustment on the girder, a paper covering forming the plane attached to the girder and shaped to form wing tips, and

plates attached to the covering at the tips, the

said wing brace having slots at its ends slidable on the plates to increase or diminish the lift of the plane according to the position of the wing brace on the said plates.

CARL FRITZEN. 

